Improvement in car-starters



UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID JEWETT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH HIS RIGHTTO HENRY E. FITZ, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN cAR-sTARTERs. f

Specilieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,586, dated April14, 1874 application filed March `l1, 1874. i

companying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 2- a plan, and Fig. 3a detail, to be referred to.

Like letters refer to like parts in the different gures of the drawing.

My invention relates more especially to horseears, and consists in anovel construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter morefully set forth and claimed, by which a great saving in time and poweris eifected in start! ing and stopping cars of this description.

The extreme simplicity of my invention renders an elaborate descriptionunnecessary.

In Fig. 1, A is the frame-work or platform of the car; B, the tongue; C,the escapement incline; D, the sheave-holder; M, the sheave;

E, the brake-lever; J, the brake=arm pivoted at U in the stud T,projecting from the frame A, and provided with the block S. The wheelsl? are mounted on the axle K in the usual manner, the axle beingserrated at L, and provided with the clampinglevers F B, pivoted to forma tongs, which grasps the axle in its jaws, when the long arms of thelevers are acted upon, as hereinafter explained. The sheave-holder D isattached to the tongue or pole of the car B, and moves with it. V'Thereis also attached to the upper side of the tongue a iioating bar, G,provided with a slot, N, Fig'. 3, through which the handles F R of thetongs project, and also with a spring, H. The long arm of the lever E,Fig. 2, isl bent upwardly near its loose end, and rests against thelower part of the tongue B on the sheave or wheel M in the holder D,being kept down to the sheave by the spring Q.

From the foregoing, the nature and operaA tion of my invention will bereadily understood by all conversant with such matters.

It is well known that the principal injury to horses on allhorse-railroads is not caused by a steady and regular draft, but instarting the cars when heavily loaded. It is also 'known that it isnecessary for the driver on all horse cars to brake up the car by handevery time it is stopped, which it is frequently inconvenient orimpossible to do properly and safely. These difficulties and objectionsare llargely overcome by my invention, by means of which the power ofthe horses is not only used to brake up 7 the car in stopping, but isexerted to the best advantage in starting.

Fig. 1 represents the mechanism in the position it assumes when thehorses are drawing the car.` Now, if the horses are stopped, the pole Bwill be pushed backward to the position represented by the dotted linesb. The handle F, by this movement of the tongue, being caught by oneside of the slot N in the bar G, will close the tongs formed by thelevers F R, causing them tov grasp the serrated axle K firmly in theirjaws, the handles being at the same time carried backward to theposition represented by the dotted lines f r, reversing.

the movement of the wheels P and stopping the car. The reverse orbackward movement of the pole also, at the same time, brings the sheaveM into contact with the bent or camshaped portion of the lever E,causing the block S of the lever J to be forcibly pressed against theperiphery of the wheel l?, and assist in braking up the car. Themechanism being in the position last described, if the horses arestarted, the brake E will be released, the opposite side of the slot Nin the bar G will be brought into contact with the handle R, closing thejaws of the tongs upon the serrated axle K, and causing the wheels P tobe started forward in a manner which will be readily obvious, the pullof the horses in starting the car being exerted upon the long arms ofthe levers R F, thus greatly economizing power. When the pole B is drawnforward to its fullest extent, the bar G is lifted by its loose endcoming into Contact with the incline C attached to the inner side of theplatform A, thus permitting the handle F to fall down, causing the tongsto release its hold ofthe axle.

Although more especially adapted to horseears, my invention is of greatvalue for steamears, the pole B in sueh a oase being used to connect theears of the train to each other and to the engine.

It will be seen that While the tongs F R act as a car-starter, they alsoact in combination with the levers E J as a brake.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In therunning-gear of a car, the pole B, bar G, incline C, tongs F R, and axleK, oombined to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. 1n the running-gear of a car, the pole B, provided with the sheave Mand spring Q, combined to operate with the pivoted brake E J,substantially as and for the purpose specied. 1

3. The ear-starter and brake, consisting of the pole B, bar G, inclineC, tongs F R, sheave M, and pivoted brake E J, combined to operatesubstantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

vDAVID JEWETT.

